Information Bulletin 15-02
Hospitals 61

Hospital Bed Counts After a Construction Project

Purpose

The purpose of this information bulletin is to inform hospitals of a change in Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) process at the time of a hospital construction project that results in loss of bedroom space.

Effective Date

November 2014

Background

Hospital beds are licensed under Minnesota Statutes 144.50-144.60 and Minnesota Rules 4640 and 4645.

Prior to November 2014, when a hospital construction project reduced the number of licensed bedroom spaces in the construction or remodeling area, MDH would ask the facility to show that compliant bedroom space existed throughout the entire facility. Some facilities provided documentation to MDH of compliant bedroom space without the total number of licensed beds altered; others provided documentation of the need to decrease licensed beds.

New MDH Process

As of November 2014, MDH no longer requires a list of compliant bedroom space throughout the licensed facility when bedroom space is lost. Consistent with the Minnesota hospital bed moratorium law, MDH's main concern is that the bed count does not exceed the number of beds on the current hospital license issued by MDH.

Questions?

Please contact:

Minnesota Department of Health
Health Regulation Division
Engineering Services Section
85 East Seventh Place, Suite 220
St. Paul, Minnesota 55101
health.healthcareengineers@state.mn.us

Minnesota Department of Health
Health Regulation Division
Licensing and Certification Program
P.O. Box 64900 St. Paul, MN 55164-0900
health.HRD-FedLCR@state.mn.us